UPDATED PICS: Tyler Perry with a badge and a gun and NO dress in these stills for Alex Cross

Tyler Perry, Madea his/herself, is attempting to branch out of stuffed bras and girdles to be a leading man, only this time he's dressing up as Morgan Freeman. No, not literally, but rather he's filling the shoes of the veteran actor in the role of Alex Cross (from KISS THE GIRLS and ALONG CAME A SPIDER) in the next chapter of author James Patterson's series, aptly titled ALEX CROSS.

Director Rob Cohen (THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, xXx) is at the helm this time around, bringing along a pretty good cast, including an Matthew Fox, Edward Burns, Cicely Tyson, Jean Reno, Giancarlo Esposito, John C. McGinley, and Rachel Nichols.

Does Perry 'got the look'?:

The story goes a little like this:

After Washington DC detective Alex Cross is told that a family member has been murdered, he vows to track down the killer. He soon discovers that she was not his first victim and that things are not what they seem.

The images definitely peak my interest, much more so than Perry in drag. And Matthew Fox looks perfectly psycho and absolutely shredded in this. A far cry from ol' Charlie on Party of Five, that's for sure. Apparently, there is an exceptionally brutal fight sequence at the end between Perry and Fox, but we'll have to wait and see if they deliver on that (and it IS rated PG-13).

I'm sure a trailer for this will hit any day now, which will be most telling if Perry can pull off hero with a gun better than hero with heels.